March 14, 2017 — Commission selects Most Notable Properties winners, after using secret code. Columbia Missourian. Four properties, 1415 University Ave., 401 West Blvd., S., 1223 Frances Drive., and 17 and 19 N. Fifth St., were named to the Most Notable properties List. The vote was done through a secret code to keep the information from getting out prior to notification of property owners, said Rusty Palmer, City of Columbia staff liaison to the Historic Preservation Commission. This violated the Sunshine Law that requires City Council commissions to make decisions in public.

March 7, 2017 — Columbia’s most notable properties will be announced Tuesday, Columbia Missourian. Summary: The nominees for Columbia’s Most Notable Properties list included: 401 West Blvd., S.; 1415 University Ave., the former Phi Mu sorority house, 1506 University Ave., 1619 University Ave.; 1508 Ross St., the former home of Arthur and Annette Case. Annette helped to found the Columbia Art League and was one of the first women graduates of the Kansas State University Chemistry and Genetics Department, and Arthur helped found MU’s Dept. of Veterinary Medicine; 1003 Sunset Drive, former home of La La and Bernard Dean Walters, influential Columbia residents, and the house has a wooden floor made from leftovers from the old Columbia Propeller factory; 823 Crestland Ave., a house nicknamed the “Backward House,” because the front porch faces the backyard; and 17 and 19 on N. 5th St., the only remaining buildings from historic Sharp End African-American business district.